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V/H/S

The found footage horror film is a tried gimmick that is over 10 years old. When The Blair Witch Project came out in 1999, the idea was fresh and inventive, but now not a year goes by without at least three popping up each year. Only a few in recent memory (Chronicle, End of Watch) have attempted to think out of the box, but apart from the Paranormal Activity franchise, none have justified the usage of the found footage formula. It is surprising however that the idea of making an anthology of found-footage horror shorts.

The series of five stories, each helmed by different directors, are held together by the predominantly weak plot of a group of low rent criminals breaking into an abandoned house to find a certain VHS tape. Instead they find dozens of them and have to route through by watching each tape revealing each new story as they go. The premise works even if the a some of the segments are ether too weak or silly, their individual running times don’t over stay their welcome. Despite the gratuitous sex, some are more original than others, the ‘Second Honeymoon” is kind of one note and “Tuesday the 17th” is a fun slasher but makes little or no sense. The opener “Amateur Night” where three drunken men looking to make score while making their own amateur porn film and get more than they bargain for, is fun with some good effects as is the last instalment “10/31/98” The video chat segment is the most creative but V/H/S leaves you wondering how did they all end up in one place and on such a dead format.?